Pune: Dr Madhav Gadgil, an eminent ecologist from Goa University, has been awarded the 2015 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement.

The Indian scientist will share the prize with noted American marine ecologist and scientist Jane Lubchenco from Oregon State University.

The Tyler Prize, which includes $200,000 cash, will be shared by Gadgil and Lubchenco and a gold medallion to both the scientists will be given in April at a private ceremony in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles.

They have been awarded the prize for their contribution to the development of the biodiversity conservation and sustainability policies as well as climate change mitigation in their respective countries and internationally.

Gadgil becomes the second Indian to receive this prize after MS Swaminathan, the father of India’s Green Revolution. He is the Chairman of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) called the Gadgil Committee. Gadgil Committee was formed to guide the protection and development of the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Gadgil, a Padmashri and Padma Bhushan awardee, has also contributed significantly in drafting India’s National Biodiversity Act, 2002.

The Tyler Prize, which began in 1973, is awarded to people who make exceptional contribution to the field of environmental science, environmental health, energy and policy.